galba68 Posted April 4, 2023 · Member Share Posted April 4, 2023 Byzantine/Medieval ae cross, 5.5o cm.. 13 1 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ominus1 Posted April 4, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted April 4, 2023 great find G68! ;D 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Kowsky Posted April 4, 2023 · Member Share Posted April 4, 2023 7 hours ago, galba68 said: Byzantine/Medieval ae cross, 5.5o cm.. Galba, Congrats on your find, the cleaning revealed more of the detail ☺️. Pictured below is a Byzantine bronze enkolpion I sold at CNG E-Sale 483, lot 815, a little over two years ago. With the buyer's premium it fetched $1,003.00. I would have kept it if it hadn't been broken open, the fate of many enkolpia 😒. These crosses were used as personal reliquaries, so why people would break them open has me puzzled 🤔. Byzantine Enkolpion, 9th-11th Centuries. AE 11.8 cm long. Obverse: Jesus Christ Pantokrator facing. Reverse: Virgin Mary Theotokos facing. One piece of the bottom hinge & pin are missing. Pictured below is one of the enkolpia still in my collection, it is still intact after burial. It is the same age as the above enkolpion but of much finer quality. Byzantine Enkolpion, 9th-11th Centuries. AE 10 cm long. Obverse: Saint John facing. Reverse: Virgin Mary facing. 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broucheion Posted April 5, 2023 · Member Share Posted April 5, 2023 6 hours ago, Al Kowsky said: Obverse: Saint John facing. Hi @Al Kowsky, Interesting misspelling. The engraver must have had an accent. - Broucheion 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Kowsky Posted April 5, 2023 · Member Share Posted April 5, 2023 9 hours ago, Broucheion said: Hi @Al Kowsky, Interesting misspelling. The engraver must have had an accent. - Broucheion Broucheion, As I'm sure you know, the Byzantine empire was large with many different regional styles & language variations. The inscription on the St. John side of my example may seem odd but it's not unusual. Compare the inscription on the enkolpion sold by Michael Blackman Ltd. to the inscription on my enkolpion & you'll see they are identical. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broucheion Posted April 5, 2023 · Member Share Posted April 5, 2023 Hi @Al Kowsky, That’s exactly what I was getting at. I know nothing about regional Byzantines, but I thought that the engraver might have used his regional sound to spell out “Eoanes” versus “Ioanes”, which could hint at the area of manufacture or the craftsman’s origin. - Broucheion 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.